391 research outputs found
Tightening the uncertainty principle for stochastic currents
We connect two recent advances in the stochastic analysis of nonequilibrium
systems: the (loose) uncertainty principle for the currents, which states that
statistical errors are bounded by thermodynamic dissipation; and the analysis
of thermodynamic consistency of the currents in the light of symmetries.
Employing the large deviation techniques presented in [Gingrich et al., Phys.
Rev. Lett. 2016] and [Pietzonka et al., Phys. Rev. E 2016], we provide a short
proof of the loose uncertainty principle, and prove a tighter uncertainty
relation for a class of thermodynamically consistent currents . Our bound
involves a measure of partial entropy production, that we interpret as the
least amount of entropy that a system sustaining current can possibly
produce, at a given steady state. We provide a complete mathematical discussion
of quadratic bounds which allows to determine which are optimal, and finally we
argue that the relationship for the Fano factor of the entropy production rate
is the most significant
realization of the loose bound. We base our analysis both on the formalism of
diffusions, and of Markov jump processes in the light of Schnakenberg's cycle
analysis.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure
Effect of ultrasonic post-treatment on anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic waste
This paper evaluates the effects of ultrasonication (US) applied, individually or in combination with a mechanical treatment, to the effluent of anaerobic digestion (AD) of lignocellulosic waste, on methane (CH4) production. US of the substrate downstream of AD is a relatively novel concept aimed at improving the degradation of recalcitrant components in order to enhance the overall energy efficiency of the process. US tests were carried out on real digestate samples at different energies (500â50,000 kJ/kg total solids (TS), corresponding to sonication densities of 0.08â0.45 W/ml). AD tests were performed on mixtures of sonicated (Sus) and untreated (S) substrate at two different Sus: S ratios (25:75 and 75:25 w/w), simulating post-sonicated material recycling to the biological process. The US effect was estimated through the solubilization degree of organic matter, as well as the CH4 production yield and kinetics, which were all found to be enhanced by the treatment. At Sus: S = 75:25 and Es â„ 20,000 kJ/kg TS (0.25 W/ml), CH4 production improved by 20% and the values of the kinetic parameters increased by 64â82%
Generally covariant state-dependent diffusion
Statistical invariance of Wiener increments under SO(n) rotations provides a
notion of gauge transformation of state-dependent Brownian motion. We show that
the stochastic dynamics of non gauge-invariant systems is not unambiguously
defined. They typically do not relax to equilibrium steady states even in the
absence of extenal forces. Assuming both coordinate covariance and gauge
invariance, we derive a second-order Langevin equation with state-dependent
diffusion matrix and vanishing environmental forces. It differs from previous
proposals but nevertheless entails the Einstein relation, a Maxwellian
conditional steady state for the velocities, and the equipartition theorem. The
over-damping limit leads to a stochastic differential equation in state space
that cannot be interpreted as a pure differential (Ito, Stratonovich or else).
At odds with the latter interpretations, the corresponding Fokker-Planck
equation admits an equilibrium steady state; a detailed comparison with other
theories of state-dependent diffusion is carried out. We propose this as a
theory of diffusion in a heat bath with varying temperature. Besides
equilibrium, a crucial experimental signature is the non-uniform steady spatial
distribution.Comment: 24 page
Nonequilibrium thermodynamics as a gauge theory
We assume that markovian dynamics on a finite graph enjoys a gauge symmetry
under local scalings of the probability density, derive the transformation law
for the transition rates and interpret the thermodynamic force as a gauge
potential. A widely accepted expression for the total entropy production of a
system arises as the simplest gauge-invariant completion of the time derivative
of Gibbs's entropy. We show that transition rates can be given a simple
physical characterization in terms of locally-detailed-balanced heat
reservoirs. It follows that Clausius's measure of irreversibility along a
cyclic transformation is a geometric phase. In this picture, the gauge symmetry
arises as the arbitrariness in the choice of a prior probability. Thermostatics
depends on the information that is disposable to an observer; thermodynamics
does not.Comment: 6 pages. Non-fatal errors in eq.(6), eq.(26) and eq.(31) have been
amende
Brownian Carnot engine
The Carnot cycle imposes a fundamental upper limit to the efficiency of a
macroscopic motor operating between two thermal baths. However, this bound
needs to be reinterpreted at microscopic scales, where molecular bio-motors and
some artificial micro-engines operate. As described by stochastic
thermodynamics, energy transfers in microscopic systems are random and thermal
fluctuations induce transient decreases of entropy, allowing for possible
violations of the Carnot limit. Despite its potential relevance for the
development of a thermodynamics of small systems, an experimental study of
microscopic Carnot engines is still lacking. Here we report on an experimental
realization of a Carnot engine with a single optically trapped Brownian
particle as working substance. We present an exhaustive study of the energetics
of the engine and analyze the fluctuations of the finite-time efficiency,
showing that the Carnot bound can be surpassed for a small number of
non-equilibrium cycles. As its macroscopic counterpart, the energetics of our
Carnot device exhibits basic properties that one would expect to observe in any
microscopic energy transducer operating with baths at different temperatures.
Our results characterize the sources of irreversibility in the engine and the
statistical properties of the efficiency -an insight that could inspire novel
strategies in the design of efficient nano-motors.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure
Full counting statistics of information content
We review connections between the cumulant generating function of full
counting statistics of particle number and the R\'enyi entanglement entropy. We
calculate these quantities based on the fermionic and bosonic path-integral
defined on multiple Keldysh contours. We relate the R\'enyi entropy with the
information generating function, from which the probability distribution
function of self-information is obtained in the nonequilibrium steady state. By
exploiting the distribution, we analyze the information content carried by a
single bosonic particle through a narrow-band quantum communication channel.
The ratio of the self-information content to the number of bosons fluctuates.
For a small boson occupation number, the average and the fluctuation of the
ratio are enhanced.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure
Laboratory study on the mobility of major species in fly ashâbrine co-disposal systems: up-flow percolation test
Apart from the generation of fly ash, brine (hyper-saline wastewater) is also a waste material generated in South African power stations as a result of water re-use. These waste materials contain major species such as Al, Si, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl and SO4. The co-disposal of fly ash and brine has been practiced by some power stations in South Africa with the aim of utilizing the fly ash to capture the salts in brine. The effect of the chemical interaction of the species contained in both fly ash and brine, when co-disposed, on the mobility of species in the fly ashâbrine systems is the focus of this study. The up-flow percolation test was employed to determine the mobility of some major species in the fly ashâbrine systems. The results of the analysed eluates from the up-flow percolation tests revealed that some species such as Al, Ca and Na were leached from the fly ash into the brine solution while some species such as Mg, Cl and SO4 were removed to some extent from the brine solution during the interaction with fly ash. The pH of the up-flow percolation systems was observed to play a significant role on the mobility of major species from the fly ashâbrine systems. The study showed that some major species such as Mg, Cl and SO4 could be removed from brine solution using fly ash when certain amount of brine percolates through the ash.Web of Scienc
Fast-timing measurements in <sup>96</sup>Pd:improved accuracy for the lifetime of the 4<sup>+</sup><sub>1</sub> state
Direct lifetime measurements via ÎłâÎł coincidences using the FATIMA fast-timing LaBr3(Ce) array were performed for the excited states below previously reported isomers. In the N = 50 semi-magic 96Pd nucleus, lifetimes below the I Ï = 8+ seniority isomer were addressed as a benchmark for further analysis. The results for the I Ï = 2+ and 4 + states confirm the published values. Increased accuracy for the lifetime value was achieved for the 4 + state.peerReviewe
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